From Jim Mulhern, Chief Operating Officer, NMPF:

“At long last, the House and Senate are poised to finish their work on a final farm bill package. For America’s dairy farmers, this is no time for a game of congressional trick or treat. The final product must provide farmers real stability, and not be a costumed disguise that masks the serious problems that will result if the House dairy program were enacted.

“The Senate’s bipartisan Dairy Security Act is the only option that will provide help to farmers when they need it most, while also limiting taxpayers’ exposure through its market stabilization mechanism. It’s an important safety net to farmers when they need it, and not an underfunded liability to the government when the program is in operation.

“In contrast, the proposal that finally emerged from the House is a bad trick: it would be fiscally irresponsible and ineffective. Lacking the Senate’s market stabilization program, the House approach would cause farmers to suffer prolonged periods of poor margins, while taxpayers subsidize dairy processors through artificially-low milk prices.

“We strongly encourage the farm bill conferees to support the dairy title language in the Senate bill, and to include its provisions in the final package.”